It will be appreciated by both novice and expert fishermen alike that it is difficult to store and transport fishing rods and reels. A particular problem concerns preventing the reels from clashing together during storage and transport. Clashing of the reels usually damages the reels, and in some cases, renders them inoperable. This problem is exacerbated in deep sea fishing in that the rods and reels used in deep sea fishing are usually larger and more expensive that other fishing rods and reels. Additionally, when stored aboard a boat, reels are more likely to clash together during the rough seas which are often encountered in deep sea fishing.
There have been several attempts to provide fishing rod and reel holders or storage systems in the prior art. One such attempt is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,427 issued May 27, 1997 to Gattuso et al., which discloses a fishing rod and reel holder which includes a J-shaped notch in which the mount for a spinning reel may be inserted as the handle for a fishing rod is slid into opening of a rod handle receiving cylinder. The J-shaped notch thus secures the reel mount as opposed to the reel itself. Shock cords further secure the reel and the rod shaft into the holder. The holder may be mounted on an overhead of a boat for carrying the rods on a boat. But, the disclosure of this patent does not address the problem of preventing the reels from clashing or banging together when stored.
Another such attempt is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,144 issued to Rocka on Apr. 4, 1972, which discloses a fishing rod and reel storage device which includes a confining holder with an opening for the insertion and removal of the reel. The holder extends at a angle from a bracket. The holder also includes a base and a wall member, which confine a reel. The holder also includes a series of apertures for passage of the connection between the reel and rod and for passage of a portion of the fishing lines contained in the reel. The holder is an essentially cylindrical structure which includes apertures to facilitate receiving and removing the rod and reel. But, the disclosure of this patent does not address the problem of preventing the reels from clashing together when stored.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,700 issued to Crosson. Jr. on Oct. 21, 1997 discloses a reel and rod hanger which includes a bracket having an indented bowl for receiving the reel of a fishing rod. The bracket also includes a series of slots which receive the shaft of the fishing rod. The particular problem to be solved by this reel and rod hanger is the facilitation of the mounting of rods and reels in an inverted position so that any moisture within the reels will flow downwardly and out of the reel. However, the disclosure of this patent does not address the problem of preventing the reels from clashing together when stored.
What is needed is a fishing rod and reel storage system that reduces the chance that the reels will clash together when stored. A long-felt need for such a system exists, particularly in the storage of rods and reels suitable for deep sea fishing.